Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are well known solid state light sources. LEDs have many advantages over traditional sources such as incandescent bulbs as they are cheaper to produce, more robust, and require less power. LEDs are especially desirable as they emit light with high power efficiency over specific colors in the spectrum. However, LEDs suffer from relatively low light output since higher light output requires greater energy input resulting in greater heat. Since an LED is a semi-conductor device, the greater heat effects the semi-conductor characteristics of the LED. Relatively high heat levels may cause a degradation of performance in the form of unpredictable light loss or worse a catastrophic break down in the semi-conductor material resulting in failure of the LED.
However there are many applications which require high light output. Presently, specialized devices such as halogen bulbs are used in such applications. Halogen bulbs have the advantage of producing intense light over selected spectrums of light with high energy input. Since halogen bulbs operate at 6500 degrees F. or greater, heat dissipation is not an issue with regard to operation. Such applications are useful in the fields of automotive, medical, industrial and architectural lighting. However, halogen bulbs suffer from reliability problems in that their useful life is relatively short necessitating periodic replacement. Furthermore, halogen bulbs require large amounts of energy and do not efficiently convert input energy into light output. Also, halogen lamps are restricted to light in the white spectrum, in order to create light in other colors, a filter must be used which decreases the effective power of the lamp.
Thus, there is a need for a heat sink which will allow the use of high light output from an LED. There is a further need for an LED lighting system which provides the high output without risking failure from excessive heat. There is also a need for a heat sink which allows the use of more energy efficient LEDs in high output applications.